The Scout names the second budget forward on the Fantasy Premier League watchlist.
Dwight Gayle (Newcastle United) £6.5m
Newcastle United’s Dwight Gayle (£6.5m) can be a big factor in the early-season plans of FPL managers.
Gayle scored 23 goals from 26 starts and won the PFA Fans’ Championship Player of the Season award in 2016/17.
He produced 88 shots on goal and netted 26.1% of his opportunities.
That conversion rate is almost identical to Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane (£12.5m and 26.4%), winner of last season’s Golden Boot.
An average of 24 minutes per shot was again similar to Kane (23 minutes).
Gayle has been quick to demonstrate his FPL potential over the summer period.
In a 45-minute run-out against Heart of Midlothian he scored both goals in a 2-1 away win.
Watch Gayle's first goal of pre-season
👀 That through-ball from @siemdejong... and @dwightgayle's finish isn't bad either! Watch the full 90 here.
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) July 15, 2017
📺 https://t.co/OwIx56zcAm #NUFC pic.twitter.com/uZBvBgMkpH
His pace and eye for goal make him the perfect fit for manager Rafael Benitez’s 4-2-3-1 formation.
With an ownership of 11.7%, Gayle is the eighth most selected forward in FPL.
But that popularity could quickly rise if he avoids the hamstring problems that limited him to 32 appearances last season.
A kind opening schedule adds to his appeal.
After the Gameweek 1 home encounter against Spurs, Newcastle face a very promising run.
Each of their matches between Gameweeks 2 and 6 score just two in the Fixture Difficulty Rankings (FDR).
If Gayle can maintain a clinical streak over that run, he will be vital to both Benitez and a growing army of FPL owners.
Newcastle United's start
| GW | Opponent | FDR (1= Low 5 = High) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tottenham Hotspur (h) | 4 |
| 2 | Huddersfield Town (a) | 2 |
| 3 | West Ham (h) | 2 |
| 4 | Swansea City (a) | 2 |
| 5 | Stoke City (h) | 2 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion (a) | 2 |
